Sheet metal fastener



' May 20, 1958 J. BALINT SHEET METAL FASTENER Filed Dec. 23, 1957 INVENTOR. JOHN BALINT BY ATTORNEY United States Patent SHEET METAL FASTENER John Balint, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Prestole Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Michigan Application December 23, 1957, Serial No. 704,699

Claims. ((31. 24-73 This invention relates to sheet metal fasteners but more particularly to those of spring metal designed to fit cylindrical slotted members in which a network of flat strips or bars are mounted, such as used as ornamental grill work at the front of automobiles and an object is to produce a simple fastener which can be readily applied and when mounted the adjacent parts are securely'held in place against rattles.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the sheet metal fastener;

Figure 2 is an edge elevation of the fastener shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a composite view showing in perspective the sheet metal fastener at the top, fragments of the crossed metal strips which interfit with each other and at the bottom the slotted cylindrical member which receives the metallic strips and which is provided with a blunt ornamental nose;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the fastener showing by broken lines the manner in which it engages both the inside and outside walls of the cylindrical member; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the fastener in position of use showing it flattened against the crossed strips or bars and in impinging engagement with the inside and outside walls of the cylindrical member.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a cylindrical metallic member which is open at one end and which is formed at its opposite end with an integral tapered nose portion 11 which is blunt at its outer end. Formed in the cylindrical member 10 and opening at the free end thereof are four equidistantly spaced slots 12 which extend well inside the member 10. Fitting respectively in the slots 12 are metallic strips or slats 13 which are arranged in right angle relation so that one strip extends into a pair of diametrically opposed slots and the other strip extends into the other pair of slots at right angle to the position of the first slat. Formed in the upper edge of one of the strips 13 and in the lower edge of the opposite strip are notches so that the two strips can interiit in such manner that the upper edges of the two strips are flush with each other.

It will be understood that a plurality of slats 13 and many of the cylinders 10 are provided and one use thereof is in connection with the grill work of an automobile providing the ornamental grill disposed in advance of the engine radiator. Manifestly in such use these parts would rattle unless they are firmly and securely retained in position tightly against each other. For that purpose a fastener hereinafter described is employed.

As shown, the fastener is of spring sheet metal and has a central body portion 15 formed with a central hole 16. Radiating from the body portion 15 is a plurality of radially extending equidistantly spaced relatively long and narrow arms 17, four being provided in this case.

The outer ends of these arms are somewhat arrow-shaped to provide rearwardly extending relatively sharp pointed prongs 18 which as indicated in Figure 2 incline upwardly. The prongs 18 are of course integral with the outer ends of the arms and are slitted along the lines 19 to enhance their flexibility.

It will be observed that the body portion 15 and the arms 17 are upwardly arched or cambered. This is particularly shown in Figure 2. It will also be observed that the arrow-like end portions on the arms 17 are upwardly curved, the lateral edge portions being curved upwardly with respect to the arms 17. This not only provides the upwardly extending pointed ends of the prongs 18 but also is a convenience in manufacturing procedure.

Intermediate each pair of arms 17 is a relatively short stubby arm 20, there being four of these arms in the fastener illustrated. These arms are relatively wide and short so as to engage the inside walls of the cylindrical member 10. The outer ends are rectangular in shape as indicated at 21, thus providing at opposite sides impinging points 22, these being the points which impinge against and intimately engage the inside wall of the cylindrical member 10.

it will be apparent that the long narrow arms 17 in the application of the fastener pass downwardly through the elongate slots 12. Thus the width of the arms 17 is governed by the width of the slots 12. When forced downwardly, the prongs 18 ride relatively freely over the outer wall of the cylindrical member, but upon reaching the crossed bars or strips 13 and by means of any suitable tool, the camber is taken out of the fastener and it is flattened down to substantially the form shown in Figure 5, at which time the arms 20 securely and intimately impinge against the inner walls of the cylindrical member 10 and the prongs 18 similarly impinge against the outer walls of the member thereby securely holding the parts in place and militate against any vibration or movement thereof.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and choice of materials may be effected without departing from the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A fastener comprising a spring metal body portion, integral arms radiating from said body portion, integral prongs on the outer end portion of said arms and extending inwardly toward the body portion, and arms integral with said body portion arranged respectively between a pair of said first arms, said second arms being shorter than said first arms, whereby the fastener may be applied to a slotted cylindrical member with the longer arms disposed in the slots so that the prongs impinge against the outside of the cylinder and the shorter arms are disposed on the inside of the cylinder with the free end portions thereof impinging against the inside of the cylinder.

2. A fastener comprising a spring metal body portion, integral arms radiating from said body portion, integral prongs on the outer end portion of said arms and extending inwardly toward the body portion, and arms integral with said body portion arranged respectively between a pair of said first arms, said second arms being shorter than said first arms, the body portion and integral long arms being cambered, whereby the fastener may be applied to a slotted cylindrical member with the longer arms disposed in the slots so that when the fastener is flattened out the prongs impinge against the outside of the cylinder and the shorter arms are disposed on the inside of the cylinder with the free end portions thereof impinging against the inside of the cylinder.

3. A fastener comprising a spring metal body portion,

integral arms radiating from said body portion integral prongs on the outer end portion of said arms and extending inwardly toward the body portion, there being a prong on each side of the end portion of each of said arms, and arms integral with said body portion arranged respectively between a pair of said first arms, said second arms being shorter than said first arms, the body portion and integral long arms being cambered, whereby the fastener may be applied to a slotted cylindrical member with the longer arms disposed in the slots so that when the fastener is flattened out the prongs impinge against the outside of the cylinder and the shorter arms are disposed on the inside of the cylinder with the free end portions thereof impinging against the inside of the cylinder.

4. A fastener comprising a spring metal body portion, integral arms radiating from said body portion, integral prongs on the outer end portion of said arms and extending inwardly toward the body portion, there being a prong on each side of the end portion of each of said arms, and arms integral with said body portion arranged respectively between a pair of said first arms and formed with flat rectangular outer ends, said second arms being shorter than said first arms, the body portion and integral long arms being cambered, whereby the fastener may be applied to a slotted cylindrical member with the longer arms disposed in the slots so that when the fastener is I flattened out the prongs impinge against the outside of the cylinder and the shorter arms are disposed on the inside of the cylinder with the free end portions thereof impinging against the inside of the cylinder.

5. The combination of a cylindrical member provided with four equidistantly spaced slots, a pair of fiat bars in said slots and disposed at right angles to each other, said bars being notched to interfit so that the outer edges of the bars are flush, a spring metal fastener to abut against said bars for holding same snugly in place and against rattles, said fastener having a body portion provided with four radiating fingers extending through said slots, prongs on the outer ends of said fingers extending rearwardly to impinge against the outside of said cylindrical member, said fingers integral with said body portion and arranged respectively between said long fingers, said last fingers impinging against the inside of said cylindrical member, said fastener being cambered so that when flattened against said crossed bars the prongs and the ends of the short fingers secure the fastener tightly in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

